Prolapse Treatment Options

Prolapse treatment options can be split into two broad categories: at-home, nonsurgical treatments and surgery. Considering the advantages and disadvantages of each can help you to understand which prolapse treatment is ideal for you based on your symptoms and needs.

Important Note: Please consult with your doctor or medical institution before beginning any prolapse treatment.

At-Home Prolapse Treatments

If you have early stage prolapse or a chronic illness that prevents you from choosing surgery, there are still a variety of treatments that you can actively perform at home to lessen or control symptoms.

At-Home Treatment Options:

• Changes to lifestyle and habits
• Pelvic floor exercises (Kegel exercises)
• Pessaries
• External prolapse braces

Lifestyle Changes and Habits

After seeing your doctor, you may be asked to change your diet to prevent prolapse symptoms from progressing as well as to stop abdominal pressure and improve bowel movements. It's also very important that you avoid lifting heavy objects on a daily basis.

Pelvic Floor Exercises (Kegel Exercises)

Kegel exercises strengthen your pelvic floor muscles. While they were initially created for preventing urinary incontinence, doing these exercises can also help with pelvic organ prolapse by preventing the uterus and bladder from descending.

Pros

• Reduces progression of symptoms, prevention
• Easy to do at home

Cons

• It is said that Kegels takes 3-8 months to begin seeing results
• Exercises must be done consistently every day
• Since muscles weaken with age, any gained results may go away if you stop
• You can expect maintaining results until the onset of symptoms

Pessaries

A common pessary prescribed for prolapse is the ring pessary, which is a donut-shaped medical device placed inside the vagina. Vaginal washing and ring replacement are usually required at the hospital every 2 or 3 months. Pessaries are a relatively simple solution compared to surgical treatments, but since the device is placed inside the body, it can lead to infections, an increase of discharge, and an unpleasant odor. The vaginal membrane can also be scratched, which leads to bleeding. Since the pessary is inserted into the body, it impedes sexual intercourse. There are also cases where the pessary itself is not suited to the shape or size of the vagina.

Pros of a Pessary

• Simple treatment option
• Can be used as a treatment when surgery is not an option

Cons of a Pessary

• Periodic replacement is required
• Risk of infection
• Vaginal bleeding can occur
• Excessive discharge

While pessaries are a common non-surgical treatment, it's important that you weigh the benefits and risks as other at-home prolapse treatment options are available, such as a prolapse brace that can be worn outside the body. FemiCushion was designed for this purpose and has been effectively used by many women who could no longer accept the side effects of using a pessary. Read more about why women around the world continue to make the switch from pessaries to FemiCushion.

FemiCushion: Prolapse Treatment Without Surgery or Pessary

Unlike pessaries, FemiCushion is a non-invasive prolapse treatment designed to be used outside the body. It offers a gentler solution for prolapse by combining three components - cushion, holder, and supporter - which work together to secure your prolapsed organs within the body. FemiCushion is discreetly worn underneath clothing and treats common prolapse symptoms such as urinary incontinence and abdominal discomfort.

Pros

• Customization options to fit your prolapse condition and body type
• Relief from pain, bleeding, discomfort, and incontinence
• No risk of infection since nothing is inserted inside the body
• Can be worn all day or when you feel discomfort
• Easy to clean and wash
• Discreet design ensures that no one else will know you're wearing it
• FDA Class 1 (1st grade) Medical Device
• CE-approved (European Standard)

Case Study: FemiCushion's Effective Results

A recent independent study on FemiCushion conducted by the Urology Department at the University of Campinas in São Paulo, Brazil, and published in the Pelviperineology journal showed effective results in women aged 60 to 79 who used the prolapse support device three months in a row. Improvements were found in lessening or decreasing:

• Pain or discomfort in the lower abdomen
• Feeling a lump or bulge in the pelvic area
• A visual lump or bulge outside the vagina

The study found that FemiCushion is an effective option for improving quality of life and managing symptoms caused by pelvic organ prolapse. For more information about this study, read the full article.

Pelvic Organ Prolapse Surgery

There are several pelvic organ prolapse surgery options currently available and your doctor can help you decide whether one of these options is appropriate based on your age, physical strength, and degree of symptoms.

Prolapse Surgery Options:

• Hysterectomy: Removing the prolapsed uterus
• Stitching the vaginal wall: Stitching up the weak vaginal wall (connective tissue)
• Transvaginal mesh surgery: Reinforcing the weak vaginal wall with sheet-like mesh
• Surgery without artificial mesh: Reinforcing the weak vaginal wall with your own skin
• Closure of the vagina: Preventing the organs from descending by sewing the front and back walls of the vagina together

Pros of Prolapse Surgery

• Pelvic organ prolapse surgery offers the potential of greatly improving your medical condition.

Cons of Prolapse Surgery

• Possibility of serious complications.
• Hospitalization is required.
• Condition may return.

Transvaginal Mesh (TVM)

Note: As of April 2019, FDA has ordered manufacturers and distributors of vaginal mesh to stop distribution.  Learn more here.

Transvaginal mesh can be used to reinforce the vaginal wall between the prolapsed organs by opening the vagina with incisions and inserting in a mesh sheet. The most common complications of transvaginal mesh are erosion, mesh extrusion, perforation, infection, bleeding, pain during intercourse, and urinary problems. The highest amount of risk lies in the removal of a defective mesh. Removal of the mesh is often painful and complicated because the vaginal tissue grows in and around it. Several surgeries may need to be performed before all of the mesh pieces are removed. Long recovery periods are necessary, and there is a strong chance of further damage or infections.

Laparoscopic Sacral Colpopexy (LSC)

A common pessary prescribed for prolapse is the ring pessary, which is a donut-shaped medical device placed inside the vagina. Vaginal washing and ring replacement are usually required at the hospital every 2 or 3 months. Pessaries are a relatively simple solution compared to surgical treatments, but since the device is placed inside of the body, it can lead to infections, an increase of discharge, and an unpleasant odor. Also, the vaginal membrane can be scratched, which causes bleeding. Due to the insertion of an object in the body, there are obstacles to sexual intercourse. There are also cases where the pessary itself is not suited to the shape, size, etc. of the vagina.

The Best Prolapse Treatment Depends
on Your Symptoms

FemiCushion can be used to prevent the worsening of symptoms, and for use before and after pelvic organ prolapse surgery instead of pessaries.

Many women fear complications from surgery, so we have received many letters from relieved and satisfied customers who have decided to cancel their surgeries because FemiCushion has been an effective treatment for their symptoms and has greatly improved their quality of life.